| mistletoe | <botany> Bearing a glutinous fruit. When found upon the oak, where it is rare, it was an object of superstitious regard among the Druids. A bird lime is prepared from its fruit. Alternative forms: misletoe, misseltoe, and mistleto. The mistletoe of the United States is Phoradendron flavescens, having broader leaves than the European kind. In different regions various similar plants are called by this name. Origin: AS. Misteltan; mistel mistletoe + tan twig. AS. Mistel is akin of D, G, Dan. & Sw. Mistel, OHG. Mistil, Icel. Mistilteinn; and AS. Tan to D. Teen, OHG. Zein, Icel. Teinn, Goth. Tains. Cf. Missel. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| mistonusk | <zoology> The American badger. Origin: From the Indian name. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| mistress | 1. A woman having power, authority, or ownership; a woman who exercises authority, is chief, etc.; the female head of a family, a school, etc. "The late queen's gentlewoman! a knight's daughter! To be her mistress' mistress!" (Shak) 2. A woman well skilled in anything, or having the mastery over it. "A letter desires all young wives to make themselves mistresses of Wingate's Arithmetic." (Addison) 3. A woman regarded with love and devotion; she who has command over one's heart; a beloved object; a sweetheart. 4. A woman filling the place, but without the rights, of a wife; a concubine; a loose woman with whom one consorts habitually. 5. A title of courtesy formerly prefixed to the name of a woman, married or unmarried, but now superseded by the contracted forms, Mrs, for a married, and Miss, for an unmarried, woman. "Now Mistress Gilpin (careful soul)." (Cowper) 6. A married woman; a wife. "Several of the neighboring mistresses had assembled to witness the event of this memorable evening." (Sir W. Scott) 7. The old name of the jack at bowls. To be one's own mistress, to be exempt from control by another person. Origin: OE. Maistress, OF. Maistresse, F. Maitresse, LL. Magistrissa, for L. Magistra, fem. Of magister. See Master, Mister, and cf. Miss a young woman. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| mistrustful | Having or causing mistrust, suspicions, or forebodings. "Their light blown out in some mistrustful wood." (Shak) Mistrust"fully, Mistrust"fulness. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| mistura | <medicine> A mingled compound in which different ingredients are contained in a liquid state; a mixture. See Mixture. Sometimes, a liquid medicine containing very active substances, and which can only be administered by drops. Origin: L. See Mixture. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| misty | 1. Accompained with mist; characterised by the presence of mist; obscured by, or overspread with, mist; as, misty weather; misty mountains; a misty atmosphere. 2. Obscured as if by mist; dim; obscure; clouded; as, misty sight. "The more I muse therein [theology], The mistier it seemeth." (Piers Plowman) Origin: AS. Mistig. See Mist. In some senses misty has been confused with mystic. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| misy | <chemical> An impure yellow sulphate of iron; yellow copperas or copiapite. Origin: Cf. L. Misy a mineral, perh. Copperas, Gr. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |